The state of Florida is being sued for its part in giving identity thieves a biodiesel company’s tax credit. This story from Courthouse News Service says Epoch Biodiesel is suing for $1.3 million, claiming the state gave corporate identity thieves a tax credit in that amount, and refused to make the real company whole after the fraud was discovered.

“The project qualified for the State’s energy technology tax credit based upon 75 percent of eligible expenditures, but Epoch Biodiesel was denied the tax credit because imposters falsely posing as authorized representatives for Epoch Biodiesel had applied for, and were granted, a putative tax credit of $1,250,174.59, based upon an investment Epoch Biodiesel had made,” the complaint states.

It continues: “Epoch Biodiesel did not learn of the ‘identify theft’ until it attempted to rightfully apply for the tax credit, and was and told by the State that ‘Epoch Biodiesel’ had already applied for and been awarded a tax credit. Epoch Biodiesel was further instructed not to apply for a tax credit, no matter how rightful its claim for a tax credit might have been, since the State had already granted a tax credit in the name of ‘Epoch Biodiesel.’ Epoch Biodiesel got no benefit from the tax credit issued to the imposters.”

Epoch says it spent $1.7 million building its Groveland, Fla. biodiesel plant. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Florida Department of Revenue are named as defendants in the suit.